Pete Sampras said he has no plan for a comeback and doesn't regret retiring. But six years after he stepped away from competing at tennis' highest level, he sure does enjoy picking up a racket and playing exhibitions against select competition.
Aside from playing World Team Tennis events the past two summers and a spell on the senior circuit, Sampras played three exhibitions against Roger Federer in November and will face the No. 1-ranked player in another exhibition at
It's last decade's top player vs. this decade's, the grand slam record holder vs. the guy who's chasing him, a 36-year-old retiree vs. a 26-year-old in his prime - two world heavyweights at the world's most famous arena.
In their three-match Asian swing in November, Federer beat Sampras in
Not good enough to consider a comeback, however.
"Not at all," Sampras said. "I could still play at a pretty high level a little bit, but coming back is a whole different ballgame, whole different lifestyle, a lot of work. Even in my prime, it was a lot of work staying on top. The day-in, day-out grind of tennis isn't in me anymore."
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